Let’s Connect – Navigating Change

Held on September 24, 2025

The church is in a season of change and navigating it can feel overwhelming. Join seasoned Intentional Interim Minister Pegi Ridout for a practical and hope-filled time about embracing transition with greater mindfulness and confidence. Together, we’ll explore how to approach change in ways that ground us, ease the sense of being “out of control,” and open us to new possibilities.

This is the first of two sessions with Pegi—the journey continues in November!

Pegi included a few documents that helped guide the conversation on September 24. Pegi suggested engaging with the documents in this order:

1. Transition Exercise 1
2. Change Readiness Assessment
3. Transition Exercise 3

Thank you for taking whatever time you can to reflect with these resources.

Let’s Connect – Together We Thrive

Held on March 26, 2025

Facilitators: Rob Smith, Pastoral Relations Minister, Canadian Shield and Shining Waters Regional Council
Melody Duncanson-Hales, Community of Faith Stewardship Support, Canadian Shield and Shining Waters Regional Council
Diane Matheson-Jimenez, Support to Communities of Faith Minister, Canadian Shield and Shining Waters Regional Council
Staff Facilitator: Eun-Joo Park

Join staff from Canadian Shield and Shining Waters Regional Councils as we explore collaborative possibilities, using an asset-based approach. In this session, we will ground ourselves in the gifts and skills our communities of faith have to share, as we look forward to opportunities to collaborate.

Steps to complete a community Asset Map – [ PDF – 2 pages ]
Invitation to collaboration PowerPoint on how to invite conversation – [ PDF – 2 pages ]
Sample letter of invitation to collaborate – [ PDF – 1 page ]

Let’s Connect – Where 2 or 3 are gathered there is Jesus. And conflict! Part 2

Held on October 2, 2024

Leader: Dr. Betty Pries – With over 30 years of experience coaching, mediating, training, facilitating and consulting, Betty is highly regarded as a Conflict, Change, and Leadership Specialist. Betty specializes in working with complex challenges, supporting leaders, organizations and congregations to be at their best.

Part 2 follows up on Betty’s original webinar, looking once more at conflict and learning how to work through difficult conversations in your community of faith. This webinar is a joint zoom gathering for lay leaders and ministry personnel in both Canadian Shield and Shining Waters Regional Councils.

The video recording is now available on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dQkYjtP8s8 

Please note that the recording of this webinar will only be available until December 2, 2024 

Let’s Connect Lay Leaders Webinar

Governance and Living Faith Stories

Follow Up from June 19 Webinar

This was a joint webinar with Canadian Shield and Shining Waters lay leaders held on June 19, 2024 (1:04:45)

Leaders: Governance Task Group of Shining Waters Regional Council’s Communities of Faith Commission

Many churches are facing stagnation from a lack of volunteers, overworked staff, and lack of vision or mission. There are outdated board structure that require more volunteers than some churches have members, ministers and office administrators end up taking on more work, and no-one’s quite sure where the community is going.

If this sounds like your church, we recommend watching this workshop on Governance Structures and Living Faith Stories. Eun-Joo Park will lead us through a review of different governance structures used in the United Church, and Tom MacNeil will refresh us on what a Living Faith Story is and why it’s vital that churches have one (don’t worry, they don’t take much to start).

Time, Talent and Treasure Gatherings

Tips, Tricks, and Best Practices to Steward Our Resources Wisely

Follow Up from February 2023 Forum

Time, Talent and Treasure: When It Feels Like Your Community of Faith Doesn’t Have Enough

Recording of the Gathering on February 7, 2023 (1:24:15)

All are welcome to this Canadian Shield and Shining Waters regional event exploring how to meet the challenge of being church today with courage, deep faith and practical tools! Join Melody Duncanson-Hales, Community of Faith Stewardship Support Minister and Diane Matheson-Jimenez, Community of Faith Support Minister, and several guest speakers for an evening of discussion and exploration.

Secular and Government Grants Trillium Foundation: https://www.otf.ca/

New Horizons: https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/new-horizons-seniors.html

The Community Services Recovery Fund: https://communityservicesrecoveryfund.ca/

Called to be the Church: the Journey https://united-church.ca/community-and-faith/get-involved/called-to-be-the-church

Book time for support: https://outlook.office365.com/owa/calendar/StewardshipSupport@united-church.ca/bookings/
(click on Melody’s name!)

Tips and Tricks to Manage a Projected Deficit

*Stewardship, stewardship, stewardship!

*Make it easy for people to give: Canada Helps, donation button on website, credit/debit terminal available during worship, promote PAR, set up etransfer

*Survey your assets and leverage them… Do you have property that can be redeveloped? Rented? Do you have regular worship or pastoral care or Bible study or ?? that you can trade with a neighbouring community of faith for something you need?

*Review your service contracts: does the provider have a non-profit rate? Can you negotiate a better deal? Can you use volunteers to reduce the amount of outsourcing needed?

*Spend money to make money: a little spent on marketing can pay dividends in exposure! Can you outsource work to alleviate pressure on volunteers?

*Connect with your neighbours: think beyond your geography! With whom do you share a common vision? Where is there need you can meet? What needs do you have that neighbours might meet?